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CVE-2020-2021

PAN-OS: Authentication Bypass in SAML Authentication

CVSS 3.1 Critical 10.0Known exploited (CISA KEV)

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Description

When Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) authentication is enabled and the 'Validate Identity Provider Certificate' option is disabled (unchecked), improper verification of signatures in PAN-OS SAML authentication enables an unauthenticated network-based attacker to access protected resources. The attacker must have network access to the vulnerable server to exploit this vulnerability. This issue affects PAN-OS 9.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.1.3; PAN-OS 9.0 versions earlier than PAN-OS 9.0.9; PAN-OS 8.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 8.1.15, and all versions of PAN-OS 8.0 (EOL). This issue does not affect PAN-OS 7.1. This issue cannot be exploited if SAML is not used for authentication. This issue cannot be exploited if the 'Validate Identity Provider Certificate' option is enabled (checked) in the SAML Identity Provider Server Profile. Resources that can be protected by SAML-based single sign-on (SSO) authentication are: GlobalProtect Gateway, GlobalProtect Portal, GlobalProtect Clientless VPN, Authentication and Captive Portal, PAN-OS next-generation firewalls (PA-Series, VM-Series) and Panorama web interfaces, Prisma Access In the case of GlobalProtect Gateways, GlobalProtect Portal, Clientless VPN, Captive Portal, and Prisma Access, an unauthenticated attacker with network access to the affected servers can gain access to protected resources if allowed by configured authentication and Security policies. There is no impact on the integrity and availability of the gateway, portal or VPN server. An attacker cannot inspect or tamper with sessions of regular users. In the worst case, this is a critical severity vulnerability with a CVSS Base Score of 10.0 (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N). In the case of PAN-OS and Panorama web interfaces, this issue allows an unauthenticated attacker with network access to the PAN-OS or Panorama web interfaces to log in as an administrator and perform administrative actions. In the worst-case scenario, this is a critical severity vulnerability with a CVSS Base Score of 10.0 (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H). If the web interfaces are only accessible to a restricted management network, then the issue is lowered to a CVSS Base Score of 9.6 (CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H). Palo Alto Networks is not aware of any malicious attempts to exploit this vulnerability.

Official description from the CVE record, published by palo_alto. Copyright © 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. See /security/cve/legal for the CVE license. View the record on cve.org

Key data

CVSS 3.1 Critical 10.0

Score published by palo_alto in the CVE record.

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

  • Attack vector: Network

    The vulnerable component can be reached over a network, possibly from the Internet.

  • Attack complexity: Low

    No special conditions are needed. The attack can be repeated at will.

  • Privileges required: None

    No account or privileges are needed.

  • User interaction: None

    No action from any user is needed.

  • Scope: Changed

    The impact can reach other components beyond the vulnerable one.

  • Confidentiality impact: High

    Serious or total effect on the secrecy of data.

  • Integrity impact: High

    Serious or total effect on the trustworthiness of data.

  • Availability impact: High

    Serious or total effect on availability.

CVSS is owned and managed by FIRST.Org, Inc. (FIRST) and is used by permission. Each CVSS score on this site is shown together with its vector string, as published in the CVE record by the source named next to it. Learn more at first.org/cvss.

EPSS

Exploit Prediction Scoring System by FIRST: an estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days.
Score
0.04362 (4.4% probability)
Percentile
91.3%
Scores of
Nov 10, 2026
Model
v2026.06.15

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

This CVE is listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Name in the catalog
Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Authentication Bypass Vulnerability
Added to the catalog
Mar 25, 2022
Federal due date
Apr 15, 2022
Ransomware campaigns
Known use

CISA assessment as of Feb 7, 2025

Stakeholder-Specific Vulnerability Categorization (SSVC) decision points added by CISA.
Exploitation
Recorded by CISA as active
Automatable
yes
Technical impact
total

Weakness (CWE)

CWE catalog version 5.0.
CWE names: Copyright © 2006-2026, The MITRE Corporation. See /security/cve/legal for the CWE license.
  • CWE-347Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature

Affected products

Products listed in the CVE record, as the CNA published them.

  • Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS

    • unaffected: 7.1.*
    • affected: 8.0.*
    • affected: 8.1 up to before 8.1.15
    • affected: 9.0 up to before 9.0.9
    • affected: 9.1 up to before 9.1.3

References

Links listed in the CVE record. They lead to other sites, which CubePath does not control.

Timeline

  1. ID reserved
  2. Record published
  3. Added to CISA KEV
  4. Record last updated

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Data from the CVE Program (MITRE), CISA KEV and FIRST EPSS. CVSS is owned by FIRST and used by permission. Not affiliated with or endorsed by MITRE, CISA or FIRST. Data as of Nov 10, 2026, 19:51 UTC. Sources and licenses